Machine for applying skirted caps to receptacles



5 1935- A. c. GOUGH 2,010,392

MACHINE FOR APPLYING SKIRTED CAPS TO RECEPTACLES Original Filed March29, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ll 29- i am MIM I In Wmnimuu.........

INVENTOR 6% a $0 4 BY ATTORNEY Aug. 6, 1935.

A. C. GOUGH MACHINE FOR APPLYING SKIRTED CAPS TO RECEPTACLES OriginalFiled March 29, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 "up II mull ' IIIIIIIII INVENTORATTORN EY A. C. GOUGH Aug. 6, 1935.

MACHINE FOR APPLYING SKIRTED CAPS TO REGEPTACLES 5 Sheets-Sheet 3Original Filed March 29, 1935 INVENTOR I zw- 039 4 BY WW ATTORNEYPatented Aug. 6, 1935 UNITED STATES MACHINE FOR APPLYING SKIRTED CAPS TORECEPTACLES Arthur C. Gough, Fitchburg, Mass, assignor to Charles F.Cowdrey, J12, Fitchburg, Mass.

Application March 29, 1933, Serial No. 663,312

' Renewed June 22, 1935 a 11 Claims.

lllfacture and prior to its application to a container or receptacle,and while the machine of the present application may be used forapplying any character of skirted caps to receptacles, its advantagesare more clearly observable in applying iii.) the skirted caps of theabove mentioned applica tion to receptacles, such as milk bottles andthe like.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a machine ofcompact and simple construction for the application of skirted caps toreceptacles by forming preliminary folds in the skirt after the cap andreceptacle have been assembled and thereafter subjecting the folds to asealing pressure about the exterior of the 25: receptacle. I

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention a jaw carrier isprovided with a series of skirt folding jaws which are operated bymovement of an actuator to, first, form the skirt of 30, the cap intopreliminary folds and then release the folding jaws from the skirt topermit the jaw carrier to be turned, and, second, by further movement ofthe actuator to cause the jaws to again engage the skirt and subject thefolds of the skirt to a sealing pressure. Where the skirt of the cap isprovided with a permanently attached non-resilient metallic member orring, the latter will respond to the action of the jaws in formingpreliminary folds in the skirt, and when '-the jaws again act thenon-resilient metallic member or ring will be forced with the folds ofthe skirt into sealing position and retain the cap in place.

be best made clear from the following description and accompanyingdrawings of one good practical form thereof.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a machine containing the presentinvention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view showing the top portion of a milkbottle. with a skirted cap assembled therewith and a portion of acentering device engaged with the top of the cap;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the machine of Fig. 1 with parts brokenaway to show the jaw carrier rotating means;

Fig. 4 is a detached detail in plan;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

The invention and novel features thereof will Fig. 6 is a detailelevation of the two jaw opererating portions on the actuator;

Fig. 7 is a detached view of one of the jaws showing more particularlythe inner face of the Fig. 8 is an enlarged vertical section on the line8-8 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic and sectional view showing the first action ofthe jaws in forming the preliminary folds in the skirt of the cap;

' Fig. 10 is a similar view showing the second position of the partsafter the jaws have formed the preliminary folds and been released fromthe skirt of the cap to permit rotative movement of the jaw carrier;

Fig. 11 is a similar view showing the jaws as again engaged with theskirt and forcingthe skirt into sealing engagement with the exterior ofthe receptacle or bottle;

Fig. 12 is a perspective view showing the preliminary folds in the skirtresulting from the first action of the jaws as in Fig. 9;

Fig. 13 is a side view showing the skirted cap in its final sealingposition; and

Fig. 14 is a side elevation of a slightly modified form of the actuatoroperating means to adapt the machine for application of skirted caps tobottles on the floor. I

The machine frame for supporting the operating parts may be of anydesired character and as depicted in Fig. 1 it comprises a base plate Ifrom which arises the fixed standard 2 having a head portion 3 to whichthe cylinder 4 is secured. In the present instance the head 3 haslaterally projecting portions which are secured'to the cylinder 4 andhold it in fixed position.

Mounted on the standard 2 is the hub portion 6 of a bottle supportingdevice which is adapted to be rotated about the stand 2 to present anyone of the bottle supports in operative relation.

with the capping machine.

As more clearly indicated in Fig. 1 the bottle support comprises a fixedmember I on which bottles of the maximum height may be placed, and thehub portion 6 which as before stated, may beturned upon the standard 2,has the bottle supports 8 and 9 each adapted to support a bottle ofdifferent height. Associated with each of the bottle supports are thebottle positioning members In which may embrace the body portion of abottle and maintain it in position upon its support. When a bottle ofmaximum height is placed upon the support 1 the positioning elements in,the lowest of the series, are adapted to embrace and hold the bottle onits support as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3.

-Within the cylinder 4 is the jaw carrier II I which fits the cylinderwith permissive rotative movement.

The lower portion of the jaw carrier H is prois a depression 2?.

vided with a series of slots or openings E2 in which the jaw carryingarms l3 are pivoted, as at M. Each of the jaw carrying arms i3 isprovided with-a jaw it which may be secured each to its respective jawcarrying arm by suitable bolts it, the construction being such that thejaws l5 may move towards and from each other. Pivotally mounted on thesame axis with the carrying arms at it are a series of jaw actuatingmembers ll having their lower extensions 53 yieldingly associated withthe jaw carrying arms l3. In the present instance of the invention theyielding connection between the jaw carrying arms 33 and the jawactuating members H is constituted by a spring is surrounding a stemwhich'passes through the lower extensions it of the jaw actuating armsand through an opening in the lower portion of the jaw carrying arms,the construction being such that the jaw actuating arms ll controlyieldingly the movement of the jaws 15 towards and from each other. 7

- In accordance with the present invention the jaws it are to be heldnormally in spread or 7 open position and while any convenient means maybe employed for this purpose, a spring surroundsv the upper end portionsof the actuating member El and normally holds the jaws in separatedrelation.

Each of the jaw actuating members H is provided with an extending arm 22carrying a roller 23 which, as will later appear, may be engaged by camsmounted on an actuator.

The actuator 24 is constituted as aplunger having longitudinal movementwithin the jaw carrier H, as indicated in'Fig. 8.

The actuator 2c is provided with two cam portions, the lower one 25 ofwhich is of less rise than the upper one 2'3, and between the two camsIt will be observed from Fig. 8 that longitudinal movement of theactuator 23 fromthenormal position shown in said figure will first causethe lower cam portion 25 to act upon the rollers 23 of the jaw actuatingmembers and cause the jaws to engage and preliminarily fold the skirt ofa skirted bottle cap placed upon the top opening of a milk bottle orother receptacle, as a.

On further longitudinal movement of the actuator 24 the rollers 23wi1lengage the recess 21! and thereby be moved from the position indicatediii-Fig. v where the preliminary folds have been formed, into theposition of Fig. 10 where the jaws i5 are spread apart under the tensionof the spring and the preliminary folds 28 are freed while stillextending in a circumferential direction about the top of the bottle orreceptacle a.

' Iii-accordance with the present invention the preliminary folds 28 andthe non-resilient metallic wire which is permanently secured to theskirt of the cap are laid in sealing relation with the top of the bottleor receptacle and to, this end the jaw carrier H has imparted to it arotative movement sufficient to bring the inner face of the jaws intoposition opposite the preliminary folds 28 as indicated in Fig. 10.

On further continued movement of thea'ctu complishedpthrough any usualform of mechanism either manually or power operated, but as shown in thepresent instance of the invention, the head 3 surmounting the fixedstandard 2 has pivoted thereto at a hand lever St which normally is heldin the position indicated in Fig. 1 by a spring 3! or its equivalent.

The cylinder 4 has a vertically extending slot 32 at its opposite sidesthrough which extend the pins 33 which have their inner ends secured tobosses 34 formed on the actuator. Connecting the lever 36 with the pins33 are the links 35, the construction being such that on manipulation ofthe lever St the actuator 24 will be moved longitudinally.

As hereinbefore noted, the jaw carrier II is to be given a rotativemovement when the jaws l5 have been spread apart or separated from theskirt of the cap after the formation of the preliminary folds and inaccordance with the present invention this is accomplished by one orboth pins 33 which extend through vertically disposed cam slots 3t whichhave a straight upper portion 371, an inclined or cam portion 38 and astraight portion 35, as indicated more clearly in Fig. 3. Theconstruction is such that when the lever 39 is operated and causes thepins 33 to carry the actuator 24 downwardly, such pins 33 ride along thestraight portion M of the cam slot in the jaw carrier I l while theactuator 2 moves the smaller cam 25 downwardly to separate the upperportion of the jaw actuators ll. On further movement of the lever as thecam 25 will pass below the rollers 23 of the jaw actuators 5's,whereupon the spring ill will cause the jaws to separate while therollers 23 are in the recessed portion 2? of the actuator and thus thejaws will be separated, as indicated in Fig. 10. As the pins 33 movedownwardly in the cam slot 35 of the jaw carrier they will engage theinclined portion 38 of the cam slot and cause the jaw carrier to turnthrough an appropriate angle while the jaws themselves are released fromthe skirt of the cap, as indicated in Fig. 10.

On further movement of the actuator 24 the larger cam 26 will engage therollers 23 and cause the jaws to again close upon the preliminary foldsof the skirt and force the skirt inwardly into sealing contact with theexterior of the bottle or receptacle, as indicated in Fig. 11. Onreverse movement of the actuator 2 the parts will again assume theirnormal position, as indicated in Figs. 3 and 8. Preliminary to theaction of the jaws upon the skirt of the cap it is desirable that thebottle or receptacle with the skirted cap b laid on, as indicated inFig. 2, be not only held in proper operative position relative to thejaws, but that any slight displacement of the bottle or receptacle onits support shall be corrected, and to this end the present inventionprovides a centering member 46 having a recessed end face 4i and adaptedto engage the top portion of the skirted cap with the result that upondownward force being applied to the centering member ii! any slightdisplacement of the bottle or receptacle on its support will becorrected and the cap held securely upon and over the mouth or openingof the bottle or receptacle.

The centering member 48 is carried on a stem s2 which extendslongitudinally through an opening in the actuator 24, as indicated moreclearly in Fig. 8, and the top portion of the stem 42 is yieldinglyassociated with the closure 33. Such yielding support may be variouslycontrived but in the present instance of the invention a spring 46 isinterposed between the nut 45 on the upper indicated in Fig. 2. There isonlya slight oveg end of the stem 42 andthe closure 4 3, seeFig. 8.,

The stem 42 is surrounded by a spring'fl Fig. 8,,the upper portion ofwhich rests againstthe under surface of the boss!" andthe lower portionof which rests upon ashoulder 48 of the stem,'the result beingthat asthe actuator24 is moved longitudinally, as hereinbefore described, thespring 46 will be placed under tension, there by effecting movement ofthe centering member 'into yieldingcontact with the skirted cap, as

ment'of the 'centeringmember.4lliowing to the limited play affordedvbythe upperena'bf the stemand its association withtheclosure 43.

The. upper end portion] of the actuator 24 is enlarged in the form of apiston 49, Fig.8, and

secured thereto are the guide rods which pass through openings in theclosure, 43,.the' result being that'the closure 43 is held from rotativemovement.

Since the'jaw carrier n is to1hav'e a'rotative:

movement'sufli'cient to correlate the jaws with respect to thepreliminary folds 28, 'as',herein-. before described, the closure" 43has the downwardly extending flanges'5l thereof embracing thev upperendof thejaw carrier] ll whichlatter is free to turn within the confines ofthe flanges 5|. I

From the construction thus far described it will be apparent that 'whenabottle or receptacle is placed on its support and the actuator 24 ismoved longitudinally, the centering" member 40 will first engage the topof the skirted cap, as indicated in Fig. 2, and by virtue of the recess4| and its curved walls about the recess and the' cooperating lip ofthe-bottle or receptacle will jaws [5 to approach each other and engagethe cause the latter to'be properly'located on its sup port and the capwill be held in. position. On further longitudinal movement of theactuator 24 the lower cam or cams 25 willact to cause the skirt of thecap to thereby formthe preliminary folds 28. Upon further longitudinalmovement of the actuator 24 the recessed portion 21 on the actuator willbe presented to the rollers 23 of the -jaw actuating arm l'I-withthe"result that the jaws will separate substantially into the p'osi"-' tionof Fig. 10 and whilein suchv separated relation from the skirt of thecap the cam 36 and pins 33 willcooperate to turn the jaw carrier throughthe desired angle and on further longitudinal movement of the actuatorthe skirt sealing cam 26-will act upon'the jaw actuating arms. 11 andcause the jaws to forcefully move the preliminary folds 28 into sealingengagement with the exterior of the bottle or receptacle. On re versemovement of the actuator 24 the pins 33 will rise in the cam slot 36until'they reach the upper portion thereofat 52, Fig. 3, whereupon thejaw" carrier l I will be given a reverse rotative c3 movement sufficientto locate the pins 33 inthe position shown in Fig. 3 ready for the'nextcycle of operations. i Y The machine for applying skirted caps toreceptacles or bottles as hereinbefore describedfis mounted upon a standcomprising the base portion I and the fixed upright stud' 2,as'hereinbefore stated, and so it is necessary in this typeof-construction to place the receptacles or bottles a on a supportinoperative relation to the capping machine. It may happen at times thatthe user of the capping machine may desire to carry it from place toplace and apply skirted caps to the bottles or receptacles as they standupon the floor or other support, and a convenient modifithe actuator 24and such hand holds or grips pass through the cam slots 3! andaresecured to the actuator 24, the construction being such that theentire apparatus may be transported by hand and when placed upon askirted bottle cap, a downward movementof the hand grips 53 will causethe actuator to first form the preliminary folds, then permit the jawsto separate as in Fig. 10 and while so separated the jaw carrier l Iwill be given a rotative movement in all respects similar to thatalready described with reference to the preferred form of the invention.Upon further movement of theactuator 24, Fig. 14, the upper or largercam 26 will come into action and cause the preliminary folds to be laidclosely about the receptacle or bottle substantially in the position asindicated in Fig. 11.

In both the preferred and'modified form of the invention'thejaws l5are-similarly constructed that is, the inner face 54 of each jaw extendsin an arcuate curve circumferentially of the receptacle or bottle. Asthe jaws come into close sealing contact, one with the other, it isdesirable that there shall not be any crimp or corrugation formed in theskirt of the cap and to this end each of the jaws I5 has its innersurface chamfered off, as at 55, so that when the jaws are actingupon'the preliminary folds to permanently sealthe skirted cap upon thereceptacle or bottle theymay overlap, as indicated in Fig. 11, and thechamfered off portion 55 of each jaw will obviate the formation of anycrease or corrugation in the skirt and cause the latter tolay in sealingcontact with the exteriorsurface of the receptacle or bottle.

QWhat is claimed is:-

l. A machine for applying skirted caps to receptacles including acentering member to en gage the top of a skirted cap on a receptacle,

a folding jaw carrier, a series of folding jaws mounted on the carrier,an actuator for the jaws having two operating cam portions to actsuccessively upon the jaws, one of which causes the jawsto formpreliminary folds in the skirt of a cap, andItheother of which causesthe jaws to lay the preliminary folds of the skirt in sealing engagementwith the exterior of the receptacle, and means for moving the actuatorin a single direction tocause the jaw operating cam portions to-actsuccessively upon the jaws. 4

' 2. A machine for applying skirted caps to receptacles including acentering member, a folding jaw carrier, a series of folding jawsmounted on the. carrier, anactuator for the jaws having two separate jawoperating cam portions, one of which causes the jaws to bend the skirtinto preliminary folds and the other of which causes the jaws to lay thepreliminary folds of the skirt the jaws to successively fold and sealthe skirt of the cap.

3. A machine for applying skirted caps to 'receptacles including asupport for the receptacle, a folding jaw carrier mounted for limitedrotative movement, a series of folding jaws pivotal-1y mounted on-thecarrier, an actuator forthe jaws having two jaw operating cam portions,one of which causes the jaws-to form preliminaiw folds in the skirt ofthe cap, and the other of which causes the jaws to lay the preliminaryfolds in sealing engagement with the exterior of the receptacle, andmeans for moving the actuator in one direction to, first, formpreliminary folds in the skirt, second, to release the jaws from thepreliminary folds in the skirt and turn the jaws into a new positionabout the skirt of the cap, and third, lay the preliminary folds of theskirt in sealing engagement with the exterior of the receptacle. r

4. A machine for applying ceptacles including a support for thereceptacle, a folding jaw carrier mounted for limited rotative movement,a series of folding jaws pivotally mounted on the carrier, an actuatorfor the jaws having two jaw operating cam portions, one of which causesthe jaws to form folds in the skirt or" the cap, and the other of whichcauses the jaws to lay the folds in sealing engagement with the exteriorof the receptacle, and means for moving the actuator to, first, formfolds in the skirt, second, to release the jaws from the folds in theskirt and turn the jaws into a new position about the skirt of the cap,and third, lay the folds of the skirt in sealing engagement with theexterior of the receptacle.

' 5. A machine for applying skirted caps to receptacle including afolding jaw carrier con stituted as a tubular member having alongitudinally extending cam, a series of folding jaws mounted on thecarrier, a folding jaw actuator constituted as a plunger mounted forlongitudinal movement relative to the jaw carrier and having two jawoperating cam portions at difierent points in its length, means formoving the plunger longitudinally and having a part engaged with the camon the folding jaw carrier so thatin a single cycle of the machineoperation the jaws will be actuated to form folds in the skirt of thecap, then he released from the skirt and the jaw carrier be turned andthen thejaws be actuated to lay the folds of the skirt in sealingcontact with the exterior of the receptacle.

6. A machine for applying to containers skirted caps having anon-resilient metallic member permanently secured to the skirt,comprising, a support for a receptacle having a skirted cap looselyplaced thereon, a jaw carrier mounted for limited rotative movement, aseries of jaws mounted on the jaw carrier, a jaw actuator constituted asa plunger having a cam portion for causing the jaws to form folds in theskirt, a depressed portion for releasing the jaws from the folds in theskirt, and a second cam portion for causing the jaws to lay the folds ofthe skirt in sealing engagement with the container on a single opera--tion of the actuator, and means for turning the jaw carrier between thesuccessiveoperations of the two cam portions on the actuator.

7. A machine for applying to containers skirted caps having anon-resilient metallic member permanently secured to the skirt,comprising; a supskirted caps to report for arec'eptacle having askirted cap loosely placed thereon, a jaw carrier mounted for limitedrotative movement, a series of jaws mounted on the jaw carrier, a jawactuator constituted as a plunger having a cam portion for causing thejaws to form folds in the skirt, a depressed portion for releasing thejaws from the folds in the skirt, and a second cam portion for causingthe jaws to lay the folds of the skirt in sealing engagementwith thecontainer on a. single operation of the actuator, a yieldable centeringmember operatively engaged with the top of the cap on movement of thejaw actuator, and means for turning the jaw carrier between thesuccessive operations of the two cam portions on the actuator.

8. A machine for applying skirted caps to containers, including asupport, a tubular guide secured to the support and provided with alongitudinal slot, a jaw carrier within the tubular guide and formedwith a cam on its wall, a series of jaws 'pivotally mountedon the jawcarrier, a jaw actuator within the jaw carrier and constituted as aplunger having two jaw operating cams at different points in its length,and an operating member for the jaw actuator having a part working inthe longitudinal slot of the support and engaging the cam of the jawcarrier to cause rotativ'e movement of the jaw carrier between thesuccessive actions of the two jawoperating cams.

9. A machine for applying skirted caps to receptacles including afolding jaw carrier, a series of jaws mounted on the carrier, anactuator for the jaws having a cam portion to form preliminary folds inthe skirt as the actuator is moved longitudinally, a recessed portion topermit the jaws to separate on further longitudinal movement of theactuator after the formation of the preliminary folds, and a larger camportion for sealing the'preliminary folds upon the receptacle uponfurther longitudinal movement of the act'uato'r, means for moving theactuator longi tudinally, and a cam for turning the jaw carrier throughsaid means as the latter is operated when thejaws are separated- 10. Amachine for applying skirted caps to receptacles including a jaw carriermounted for rotative movement, a series of jaws mounted on the carrier,an actuator mounted for longitudinal movement relative to the jawcarrier and having two cam portions at different points in its lengthand a recess between said cam portions, means for moving the actuatorlongitudinally and having a part to rotate the jaw carrier to, first,form preliminary folds in the skirt of the cap, second, to release thejaws from the skirt and turn the jaw carrier, and, third, to seal thepreliminary folds of the skirt against the receptacle.

11. A machine for applyingskirted caps to receptacles including a jawcarrier, a series of jaws mounted on the carrier, yielding meansnormally acting to hold the jaws in separated relation, an actuatorhaving a relatively small cam portion and another larger cam portion,and means for moving the actuator longitudinally to cause the jaws toact successively to form preliminary folds in the skirt of the cap andthereafter to seal the skirt against the receptacle during longitudinalmovement of the actuator.

ARTHUR o. GOUGH.

